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UK: ‘Cannabis isn’t as risky as drink’ - Dundee mum says Class B drug should be legalised Darren Hamilton Dundee Evening Telegraph Tuesday 12 May 2015 It’s a Class B drug and anyone police catch with it can face a five-year jail sentence. But a Dundee mother of five is calling for the legislation on cannabis to be reviewed — and claims the substance is safer than alcohol. Lesley Parker-Hamilton, 37, believes cannabis should be legalised in order to regulate trade and help improve health. She feels so passionately about the issue that she represented the recently-launched Cannabis is Safer Than Alcohol (CISTA) party in the Dundee East constituency at last week’s general election, but gained only 225 votes. The organisation, which wants to completely legalise the substance in the UK, believes current laws only benefit criminals by driving production and distribution of the drug underground. Lesley, who lives in the Whitfield area of the city, said: “We have learned through history that you can’t stop people from taking drugs. “By making drug users criminals you are potentially ruining any chances that they may get in life. “It affects your travel, your employment and, depending on your circumstances, it can even affect you seeing your kids. “We are looking for the Government to take a different approach. “They seem happy to put up with alcohol and the devastation it causes, but are reluctant to look at the benefits of what cannabis can do.” In the US, the state of Colorado legalised cannabis possession from last year, a move which is expected to create around $67 million in extra tax each year. Lesley believes that a change in the law in the UK could benefit public services. She added: “In Colorado, the revenue is going straight back into the community through schools and hospitals. “So it is not something which just benefits the users, it is something which can have a knock-on effect on the whole of society. “There is a lot more to this than people just wanting to get stoned — there’s also an endless list of health benefits. “Cannabis causes minimum harm, whereas with alcohol you hear about the deaths, accidents and all of the fighting that goes with that. “It is something I feel really passionate about — people should have the right to choose.” Last month, more than 50 people were arrested on suspicion of drugs-related offences during a “pro-cannabis” rally in Hyde Park. Drugs campaigners gathered at the “4/20 Day Celebration” to hear speeches and smoke the drug openly — despite police signs warning “possession of cannabis is illegal”. It was one of 420 events arranged internationally to argue that the drug should be legalised. But Christine Duncan, chief executive of Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs, disagrees — and said many families are blighted by having cannabis in their lives. She said: “The discussion around the legalisation of cannabis is one which we take no particular stance on at the moment. “But the fact is, it is not legal and we are there to deal with the aftermath. “As well as the financial impact, there is a social and emotional impact. “There is an issue around cannabis use with young people in terms of pushing the boundaries, and that has an impact on the rest of the family.” http://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/news/local/dundee/cannabis-isn-t-as-risky-as-drink-dundee-mum-says-class-b-drug-should-be-legalised-1.873994
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